Rodent trap



May 26, 1925. 1,538,981

w. GILLINGHAM RODENT TRAP Filed Aug. 29, 1924 31a/vanto@ v atto: um*

Patented lidia); 2, 1925.

einen UNITED STATES PATeu'r'orricE.

WILLIAM GILLINGHAM, O WHEELING, "WEST VIRGINA.

RODENT TRAP.

Application led August 29, i924. Serial No. 734,851.

To all who/n 'it may concern.' Be it known that LVILLIAM GILLING- 11AM, a citizen ot' the United Sta-tes, residingat lVheeling, in the county oi' Ohio and State ol Test Virginia, have invented eertain new and useful Improvements in a Rodent Trap, ot' which the following is a specitication. y

This invention relates to an in'iproved trap of the selt and ever set type, the same especially but not necessarily, designed for entrapping` rodents such as rats., squirrels. gophers and the like.

The priniiary object is to provide a trap ot this kind which is con'iparatively simple in constriwtion, practical and etlective in use, capable ot trappf.. a number ot rodents at one time` and of suchconstruction that it is comparatively inexpensive to both iuunutactui-cr and the user. y

More specifically, I propose to provide `a trap for the purpose specified which comprises a supporting` trame tor a. plurality ot trap doors which are trip controlled and are automatically returned to their normal positions, the device being' intended to be placed upon the open top of a receptacle such as a barrel or tub containing water or the like into which the animal is dropped.

The invention embodies several details productive of features and advantages and these will becomeapparent from the tollovvinc; description and drawing.

lu the accompanying drawing` torniiing' a part ot this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate likek parts-throughout the same.

Figure l represnts a top plan View ot a trap constructed in accordance with the present invention.

lllip'ure 2 represents a bottom plan view thereof'.

Figure -l represents an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane ot line tl-l of Figure l.. i

Referring' now to the drawing in detail it will be seen that the improved device comprises. a substantially rectangular wooden trame l constructed ot suitably lnnccd and connected bars. disposed at the center ot the iframe and supported 'from the latter is a discular stop plate 2. In the present instance l have shown the diagonally extending4 metal bar 5l connected to opposed corners ot the traine and bent into S-shape .intermediate its ends as indicated at 4t (see ln order Figure 2). The plate 2 is connected to the t5-shaped portion ot the rod through the medium ot staples or the likeas shown and it is thus prevented 'trom twisting and is made con'ipuratively rigid. This plate in addition to servingl as a stop, constitutes a support tor the animal actuated trip devices. to accommodate this the plate is provided at circuinterentially spaced points with upwardly struck ears 5 provided. with apertures to produce` bearings. A pair of shafts 6 are journaled at their opposite ends in. the bearings and the tree ends of the sha'ft are directed downwardlythrough the openings lett by the .struc-k up ears. As seen more clearly in Figure 3 each end of the shatt is fashioned as indicated at 7 to provide a` catch. lonnected to the 'intern'iediate port-,ionot euch shalt 6 is a` bait hook 8y which extends close to or beyond `the mar.- ;gjin oi" the plate. rlhere are but two ot these bait hooks and these are disposedl at substantially diametrically opposite points. It is obvious that since the hooks are connected to the shatt 6. when the bait is pulled upon, the hooks will serve to rock the sua-tt and in so doing;` vvill move the catches 7 to releasing;` position. ln order toreturn the` parts to their normal positions7 the s pringsQai-e providedythese beine: connected at their onterends to the hooks 8 and anchored at their inner ends in an ear l() which is struck up trom the center ot the aforesaid plate 2.

Cooperating withthe catches 7 is a plurality ot' trap doors 1lv which are pivotally connected in any appropriate manner to the side bars of the frame l. By preference, the trap doors are substantially triangular in general outline and have their inner apices disposed beneath the stop plate Q- which limits the movement of the plate in one direction. The inner ends ot these plates or doors are ot course engaged with. the catches 7 so that the doors are. normally extended into position as shown in the drawing. For the purpose otl returning the trap doors to their normal positions after they have been swung downwardly under the weiedit ot the aninial. suitably designed sil'niuos l2 are provided and these cooperate with the under sides ot the doors as seen clearly in lilinjui'el 2.

lin practice, the trame is placed upon the open top ot a receptacle and the receptacle is filled with `vater into which the animals are to be dropped. Ol course7 the Water may or may not be used as desired. Placing the device in position with the top side up as seen in Figure l and placing bait upon the hooks 8, it will be seen that when an animal treads upon one of the trap doors 11 and pulls upon the bait, the hooks will move outwardly and exert a rotating thrust upon the aforesaid shafts 6. As the catches 7 are actuated by the shaft, it is obvious that the two adjacent jaws will simultaneously open and drop the animal into the receptacle. As soon as the` animal has slid off of the door and into the receptacle, the spring 12 on the under side of the doors will serve to automatically return the latter to their normal positions and to engage them with the catches 7 again. The elongated bowed springs 9 will serve to return the shafts 6 to their normal positions` Also, the inner ends of the doors striking against the peripheral portion of the discular plat-e 2 will serve to limit the upward swing of the doors.

It is thought that a consideration of the foregoing description in connection with the drawings will enable persons skilled in the art to which the` invention relates to obtain a clear understanding of the same. For this reason a more lengthy description is deemed unnecessary.

Although I have shown and described a specific embodiment of the invention, l wish it to be understood that minor changes coming within the scope of the subjoined claims may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is l. An animal trap comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a plurality of substantially triangular doors pivotally connected to the side bars of the frame, a discular plate supported at the center of the frame and having its peripheral edge overlying the inner ends of the doors to limit the upward swinging movement thereof, a pair of shafts mounted in bearings upon said plate, said shafts being provided at their outer ends with catches engaging the inner ends of said doors, bait hooks connected with said shafts for rotating them in one direction, spring means connected to the shafts for rot( ting them in an opposite direction, and spring means cooperating with the doors for automatically returning them to set position after each operation.

2. An animal trap comprising a frame, a plurality of doors pivotally connected to the frame and adapted to be swung downwardly under the action of the animals weight, a stop plate supported at the center of the frame, the inner ends of the doors heilig engageable with the under side of the plate, bearings carried by said plate, a pair of shafts rotatably mounted in said bearings, the opposite ends of said shafts being bent to form catches for engaging the inner ends of said doors, bait hooks connected to the intermediate portions of the shafts for rotating them in one direction when a pull is exerted thereon by the animal, bow springs connected with thel intermediate portion of the shaft and anchored upon said plate for rotating the shafts in an opposite direction, and spring means cooperating with the under. sidesy of the doors for automatically swinging the latter to set position after each operation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VILLIAM GILLINGHAM. 

